Agony sizzles across my chest and I come to with a choked gasp. The pain that fizzes through every neuron, every sense, blinds and mutes me. My back bows and mouth stretches wide in a silent scream.
Hands grip the sides of my head firmly and a familiar baritone anchors me. “Breathe, Torment. Breathe.”
My lungs refuse to work, and I slap the table I’m on. Then something slams into my chest, forcing my back down, and magic pulses. Air sucks into me with a mighty gulp. I cough, eyes squeezing shut. An agonized groan vibrates from my throat.
Something cool smooths over my chest and my breath shudders, my eyes opening. Valen stands over me. His hair is a mess, his perfect shirt torn. There’s a tightness in his eyes, his forehead damp. He’s spreading ointment over my bare chest.
My eyes widen. My shirt is gone, but I can’t gather enough blood for a blush. My arms are spread wide and an open, raw wound runs from hand to hand. Someone must’ve already partially healed me because it’s not oozing. I lift my head and hiss,thunkingit back down on the wood table. The branching curse laceration follows my right arm to my collarbone, thendips down my sternum to round below my left breast, then up my left armpit to ripple down to my fingertips.
Jinx is going to lose her mind when she finds out.
Someone strokes my hair back and I peek through my lashes. Lucas beams at me. Blood smears across his forehead, but it doesn’t appear to be his. “You are one crazy bitch, Torment. I’ve never seen anything like that.” His nails snag on a matted knot. “You should come with me on acquisitions more often.”
“Yes. There’s a reason for that.” Valen’s deadened tone chills me. I can feel his sharp gaze on my face without looking. His fingers slide along the trail under my breast, adding more of the healing salve. “Curses cannot usually be tempted away from the heart. The soul and magic housed within are too tempting. It makes me wonder how you convinced three powerful curses to bypass such a tasty treat.”
Lucas waves off Valen’s concern. “She’s fine. I unwound the ward webbing from her.”
I distract myself from the aching discomfort of my injuries by taking in the room. We’re in the Bauer infirmary, where all the magic potions and ingredients live. Like my back room, there are bunches of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, but unlike my room, this place is immaculate. Glass bottles, clearly labeled, fill rows upon rows of shelves. Nora would have a field day if she made it in here.
I turn back to Lucas. “Where’s the amulet?”
He reaches into my pocket and pulls it out. The golden fangs glint in the light. I let out a heavy sigh, going limp on the table. My heart pounds and eyes mist. “We did it.”
“Yeah, we did.” He tucks it away again. “We’ll get that spider under control before you know it.”
Valen stills and my pulse spikes. “Spider?”
Lucas dips his fingers into Valen’s pot and starts working on my other arm. “The Arachnomicon.”
Valen hasn’t moved and I can’t look at him when he asks, “The book you two were talking about? I thought the amulet was for the Amur.”
Lucas’ brows furrow. “Dimitar? No, the amulet is to subdue a grimoire.”
Valen’s enraged gaze turns to me and I quickly inspect the jars of various newt parts suspended in amber liquid. He snaps, sounding distressingly like his father, “Astoria Rose Androclaria! Did youlieto me?”
My palms are slick, and not because of the ointment. “Just a smidge.” Valen’s rage vibrates off him in a terrifying dark aura. I speak very quickly. “I had no choice! Your demands were too great and you weren’t going to help me and I need to get back into my vault, which the spider book is keeping me from. All my money is down there and Dimitar’s tithe is due!”
His jaw drops. “Why didn’t you simply tell me that? I would’ve given you the money!”
“I don’t need your money; I need the amulet. Which, now I have, so it doesn’t matter and everything is going to be fine.” I refuse to feel guilty about omitting my grimoire from the story. It’s a necessary evil to keep my precious, very incriminating book a secret.
Valen’s jaw audibly snaps closed. His eyes burn and his nostrils flare. I hold my breath, my fingers twitching painfully. But instead of yelling, he turns away from me and snatches up a fresh pot of ointment. He growls low, applying more ointment, his touch losing some of its gentleness. “Out of all the overly complicated,ridiculousplans I’ve ever heard. The stupidity is astounding.”
Lucas laughs and I prickle. I shoot him a harsh glare. “Don’t side with him!”
The warmth in Lucas’ eyes has returned and the honey glows with his bright smile. “I can’t laugh?”
I grumble. “No. I don’t need you two ganging up on me.”
Lucas’ gaze slides over to Valen. “That was some fancy spell work you did back there. You think quick on your feet for a stuffy, stick-up-their-ass weaver.”
Valen glares, but some of his usual sharpness is gone. His voice drops back into an arrogant drawl. “Yes, the stick up my ass does come in handy to beat my opponents with when magic fails.”
Lucas’ eyes dance. “Was that a joke, V? Are we friends?”
“Not in the slightest.” Valen wipes his hands clean on a cloth and tosses it over to Lucas for when the magician finishes with my fingers. “Please take this next statement to be as insulting as possible. I’m shocked that your little threads are so versatile. I did not think they had the strength to catch the sphinx and trap her on her back.”
“What can I say, V?” Lucas accepts the roll of gauze, his smile taking a heated edge that has Valen pausing. “I excel at getting things on their backs.”
